The World and Everything in It

by Kevin Henkes, Kevin Henkes (Illustrator)

Overview

There are big things and little things in the world, and everything in between. Caldecott Medal winner and #1 New York Times bestseller Kevin Henkes encourages young readers to be curious about the world around them in this timeless, beautifully illustrated, and educational picture book. The World and Everything in It belongs in every child’s library, and illuminates key social and emotional concepts such as belonging, self-awareness, and community. A wonderful gift for young children.

In the world, there are little animals, tiny flowers, and things so small you can’t see them. In the world, there are giant waves, a large sun, and things so big you can’t wrap your hands around them. There are big things and little things in the world. And everything in between—including you!

A timeless and wholesome picture book from Caldecott Medal winner and #1 New York Times bestseller Kevin Henkes, The World and Everything in It explores concepts such as curiosity, self-awareness, belonging, and size. Combining a precise, evocative, and lovely text with exquisite illustrations, Kevin Henkes deftly captures the wonders and mysteries of the world for any reader just beginning to think about how they fit in.

A brilliant picture book to spend time with, discuss, read aloud, and think about, The World and Everything in It is an excellent choice for social and emotional development as well as a lovely book to give to readers of any age.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063245648
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/28/2023
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	416,156
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Kevin Henkes has been praised both as a writer and as an illustrator and is the recipient of the Children’s Literature Legacy Award for his lasting contribution to literature for children. He received the Caldecott Medal for Kitten’s First Full Moon; Caldecott Honors for Waiting and Owen; two Newbery Honors, one for Olive’s Ocean and one for The Year of Billy Miller; and Geisel Honors for Waiting and Penny and Her Marble. His other books include The World and Everything in It; A House; A Parade of Elephants; Chrysanthemum; and the beloved Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Kevin Henkes lives with his family in Madison, Wisconsin.

Kevin Henkes has been praised both as a writer and as an illustrator and is the recipient of the Children’s Literature Legacy Award for his lasting contribution to literature for children. He received the Caldecott Medal for Kitten’s First Full Moon; Caldecott Honors for Waiting and Owen; two Newbery Honors, one for Olive’s Ocean and one for The Year of Billy Miller; and Geisel Honors for Waiting and Penny and Her Marble. His other books include The World and Everything in It; A House; A Parade of Elephants; Chrysanthemum; and the beloved Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Kevin Henkes lives with his family in Madison, Wisconsin.

Hometown:

Madison, Wisconsin

Date of Birth:

November 27, 1960

Place of Birth:

Racine, Wisconsin

Education:

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Website:

http://www.kevinhenkes.com

Editorial Reviews

01/16/2023

Serene reflectiveness flows through this meditation by Henkes (Little Houses), whose simple prose initially segments the universe into two camps: “big things and little things.” An early spread shows both: a grown, gnarled tree is pictured against billowing clouds on a grassy rise; a seedling grows beside it. In subsequent pages, framed spreads display diminutive entities: “Little animals.// Tiny flowers.// Pebbles.// Things so small you can’t see them.” Shown against backgrounds of white, they evoke the objective calm of encyclopedia illustrations. Next come the big things, including “The sea.// The sun.// The moon.” Humans are in the middle, and able to interact with both, having “some of the little things”—spreads show children of various skin tones holding the items—and fragments of big things, too. “The moon is big,/ but you can see all of it/ out the window in your bedroom.” But how big is big? How small is small? “Most of the things are in-between,” straightforward text concludes. “Like you./ And me.” Spare images and text, and an almost reverent stream of thought, helps illuminate humans’ comparative scale in the wide, variously populated world. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

It can feel nearly impossible for children to imagine the scale of everything outside themselves, but Henkes invites them to meditate on just that, and everything in the world, in this poetic new book. . . . The illustrations are both colorful and muted, capturing attention while complementing the words. . . . A first purchase for every library, this book invites readers to consider the world around them in a new way.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“Serene reflectiveness flows through this meditation by Henkes, whose simple prose initially segments the universe into two camps: ‘big things and little things.’ . . . Spare images and text, and an almost reverent stream of thought, helps illuminate humans’ comparative scale in the wide, variously populated world.” — Publishers Weekly

“Young children may feel like the world is full of things that are bigger and more important than they are. With an unerring understanding of the child’s perspective, Henkes presents simple comparisons, demonstrating how all the people and parts of the world are significant to the whole. . . . Soothing and accepting, the book reassuringly demonstrates that the world is big enough for everyone and everything.” — Booklist

“Young children are always figuring out their place in the universe. . . . This book will work on several levels. At its simplest, it’s a consideration of big and little that will be enhanced by the pictures. On another level, connections between Earth and space, between sea and land, or between animals and humans may become the focus. . . . A contemplative picture book to help young readers understand the reality of their world.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Henkes meditates on the world and our place in it. . . . Henkes’s strength is in the poetry of the everyday and finding the profound in ordinary moments, and that strength is on full display in a book that is simultaneously soothing and mind-blowing. . . . Shelve this somewhere between concept and philosophy—and get it into kids’ hands.” — Horn Book Magazine

From the Publisher

★ 03/24/2023

K-Gr 3—It can feel nearly impossible for children to imagine the scale of everything outside themselves, but Henkes invites them to meditate on just that, and everything in the world, in this poetic new book. The text itself is quite simple ("there are big things and little things in the world"), but within it is a call to consider all things, no matter their size, and how they fit. A possible quibble for some young readers will be with the meaning of "world." Earth? The universe? Does it matter? As with other of his books, the illustrations (watercolor and brown ink) are a real standout. The seemingly simple images pair well with the text, giving readers a chance to pause, breathe, and consider. The illustrations are both colorful and muted, capturing attention while complementing the words. The meditative tone makes this suitable for bedtime; alternatively, it could be used in a story time with activities around size or observation. VERDICT A first purchase for every library, this book invites readers to consider the world around them in a new way.—Kadie Seitz

School Library Journal

2022-12-24
Young children are always figuring out their place in the universe.

Accompanied by Henkes’ signature charming watercolors, presented in panels outlined in brown, the spare, quiet prose differentiates between the “big things and little things in the world.” This work goes beyond many similar concept books by encouraging children to consider the enormity of the sea, the sun, and the moon in contrast to “little animals. Tiny flowers. Pebbles. Things so small you can’t see them.” The last sentence is pictured with an empty box. Children may question this representation of infinitesimal objects, leading adults to start a discussion about atoms or bacteria. Kids have an innate interest in their surrounding world and the science that explains it. This book will work on several levels. At its simplest, it’s a consideration of big and little that will be enhanced by the pictures. On another level, connections between Earth and space, between sea and land, or between animals and humans may become the focus. The diverse children pictured will invite readers to place themselves in the scenarios Henkes presents: holding “a little animal” or noticing a patch of the big sun “on the rug on your floor.” Perfect for family reading, this will also work with groups at schools or libraries. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A contemplative picture book to help young readers understand the reality of their world. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews